Leadership
ALLEN AFFOLTER
Allen moved to Indiana, PA in 1980 and has attended what is now the Word of Grace Fellowship since that time.
“I accepted Christ as my Savior in a small dorm room at Western Maryland College in the spring of 1978. Since that time God has taken me on an exciting and rather eclectic journey that has included working on ships in the Merchant Marines, as a farmhand on a large dairy farm, a construction worker, a counselor for juvenile delinquents and working in a feed-store, to currently serving as CEO for an engineering/technology company. God has used each leg of this journey to both change me as well as teach me something about Himself. I am grateful for the path He has chosen to take me on and wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything.“
Allen has served as a deacon for the church and has been involved with teaching regular services as well as adult Sunday School for many years. Allen is married to his wife of 24 years, Carol, and they are both very proud of their two children, Kelly and Isaac.
HARRY CARNAHAN
Harry and Mary Lou Carnahan graduated from IUP in 1960. Harry took a position teaching mathematics in Indiana Schools and furthered his studies at Western Michigan University where he received his Masters Degree in Mathematics in 1967. Mary Lou taught in elementary school in between having three children and by 1970 the Carnahan family consisted of two girls and a boy. In 2010 they celebrated their 50th anniversary and have three wonderful grandchildren.
In 1973 a major event took place in their lives when first Mary Lou and then Harry accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Since that time they attribute their Christian growth to the teaching of God’s word at Word of Grace Fellowship and are thankful for the teachings of many men of God like Joe Garlington, Harry Greenwood, Ken Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and others.
Harry has served as a teaching and ministering elder in our church for over 30 years where he has shared the Word, taught relationships for married couples, and finances for Christians. In 1991 he retired from teaching mathematics after 32 years in the Indiana Schools, and this provided more time for traveling and teaching in various countries.
Both Harry and Mary Lou have taught at conferences in many countries, including ten in India as part of a team of partner churches. They both agree that, “sharing the Word in India has been rewarding as we have developed many precious relationships, and have seen the Christian body grow in that country”. Harry has also taught in Jamaica, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Mary Lou is active in WOGF women’s outreach in the community and has a heart for evangelism. “Over the years, our home has received many of these guests from around the world and our community. It is such a blessing to be able to share the Word and see that the power of God behind it has such ability to change lives. It is so true that, ‘If any person is in Christ, he is a new creation.’”
DR. ROBERT MENCER
Bob and Danni Mencer became Christians in 1974 after very dramatic conversions. They “grew up” in a Charismatic fellowship where they enjoyed the “pure milk of the Word.” Bob has been involved in public education as an elementary school teacher, a secondary school teacher, an elementary principal and a school district superintendent. Along the way, he earned a doctoral degree from Penn State in school administration. Because of Bob’s career path in education, the family was very mobile and participated in a wide variety of fellowships. They have worked with Malcolm Smith’s Brooklyn church in developing home groups as well as serving as church planters for the Mennonite Church Home Missions Board. They came to the Word of Grace Fellowship in 1989 when Bob became the chief school administrator in a nearby school district and have remained here since. Bob is currently involved in the church’s radio and teaching ministry while Danni is involved with the worship team, woman’s outreach, and prayer groups. In 2009, Bob and Danni joined other leaders from sister churches to teach at a church conference in India. They have been married for over 40 years and have two grown children and three grandchildren who are crowns to their heads and delights to their hearts.
FRANK PETRILLO
Frank and Rosie Petrillo have been members of Word of Grace Fellowship from its humble beginnings. Frank came to know the Lord through an evangelistic arm of the Methodist Church in the late 1960’s and committed his life to Jesus’ service at that time. Having come to Indiana, PA, to attend the university there in the early 1970’s, Frank became involved with a group of believers who wanted to serve the Lord by presenting the good news of Jesus to others. Shortly after this, a church organization was formed. He has been active as an elder and worship leader since that time. He and Rosie have been workshop leaders at conferences in India and Germany, among others. He also owned his own business as a distributor of snack foods for 22 years, and is currently a provider of medical billing services.
Frank and Rosie have been married for nearly 35 years and have one adult daughter, Rebekah, who is married to Word of Grace Fellowship member, Bob Rizzo. Their grandchildren are the delights of their hearts.
NEVIN SAYLOR
Nevin and Paula met while in the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Marching Band in 1980 and have been best friends ever since. They were married in 1984. Both are graduates of IUP with degrees in music education. They have been attending the Word of Grace Fellowship since 1982.
Nevin is a band director in the Indiana Area School District and has been teaching music for 30 years. Paula is a choral director in the Purchase Line School District. Their three grown children, Joe, Ben and Annabeth have all followed similar career paths. Saylor family hobbies definitely revolve around sun and water!
Both Nevin and Paula dedicated their lives to Christ at an early age. Nevin has led a home group for many years and is involved in the church worship team. He was a deacon for many years prior to his appointment as an elder in 2009. Nevin and Paula are so excited to bear witness to the many ways that Christ is being formed in the members of the Word of Grace Fellowship. They are thankful to God and to their church family for ministering the wonderful Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them throughout these many years.
JOHN SINCLAIR
John Sinclair and his wife, June, began serving the Lord in 1972 when John was born again and June returned to the Lord on a glorious Good Friday. They will be celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary in June, 2010. Both are founding members of the Word of Grace Fellowship, where over the years they have developed strong friendships with members of the congregation. They are the parents of two grown sons, Mike and Jonathan, and have been blessed with three grandchildren.
John has been an elder since the mid-1970s and has taught in the church during this tenure. June has taught Sunday school, at Freshen Up Fellowship in Indiana, at Christian conferences with her husband in India, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland and is part of a weekly prayer ministry. John has also taught in London at the Church of the Living God.
Both John and June hold bachelors and masters degrees from IUP where John lettered in basketball all four years and June was president of her sorority. The duo met in college, fell in love, and were married after John graduated. John taught English, drama, and journalism in the Indiana School District for 32 years prior to retiring in 1996. June taught second grade at the University School at IUP and then gifted support for ARIN IU 28 for 25 years before retiring in 2004. For the past 15 years, John has written a golf column for the Indiana Gazette. They enjoy being a part of what God is doing in Word of Grace Fellowship.